Clematis plant named &#39;Evipo104&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Clematis  plant with a compact growth habit, profuse, purple flowers, and continuous summer flowering. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for cultivation in commercial nursery culture. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation from vegetative cuttings.

Botanical classification: Genus: Clematis Species: viticella.

Variety denomination: ‘Evipo104’.

This application claims priority to Plant Breeder's Rights ApplicationNumber 2020/2277, which was filed at the Community Plant Variety RightsOffice in the European Union on Sep. 21, 2020, the contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED PLANT

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematisplant which originated from a controlled crossing between the femaleseed parent, an un-named seedling, and the male pollen parent, anun-named seedling. Both parent varieties are non-patented.

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 2007 and the resultingseeds were planted the following winter in a controlled environment inGuernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom. The new variety named‘Evipo104’ originated as a single seedling from the stated cross.

The new Clematis plant may be distinguished from its female seed parentand male pollen parent by the following characteristics. The female seedparent grows to a height of 90 cm in one season while the new varietygrows to a height of 32 cm in one growing season. The male seed parenthas blue tepals while the new variety has purple tepals.

The objective of the hybridization of this Clematis plant was to createa new and distinct variety for nursery culture with unique qualitiessuch as:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant purple flowers;    -   2. Vigorous and compact growth, making the variety suitable for        container culture; and    -   3. Improved disease resistance.

This combination of qualities was lacking in Clematis plants that werein commercial cultivation and the qualities have been substantiallyachieved in the new variety.

‘Evipo104’ was selected by Mogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison intheir Clematis development program in the Channel Islands, UnitedKingdom in 2008. Asexual reproduction of ‘Evipo104’ by means ofvegetative cuttings and traditional layering was first performed byMogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison in the nursery during the summerof 2008. This initial and subsequent asexual propagations havedemonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Evipo104’ are true to type andare transmitted from one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustrations show as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘Evipo104’.

Specifically illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings are open flowers atvarious stages of development, tepals detached revealing reproductiveflower parts, and flower bud. FIG. 2 shows a cluster of flower buds on abranch, leaves detached, and bare stem. Illustrated plants are 2 yearsof age.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘Evipo104’, as observed inits growth outdoors throughout the flowering period in Odense Denmark.Observed plants were cultivated for a period of 24 months in 2 litercontainers. Certain phenotypical characteristics of the variety may varyunder different environmental, cultural, agronomic, seasonal, andclimatic conditions. Color references are made using The RoyalHorticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001, except wherecommon terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the Clematisvariety ‘Evipo074’ described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No.28,407 are compared to ‘Evipo104’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Evipo104’ ‘Evipo074' Flower diameter 113 mm 135 mm Tepal upperViolet Group N87A Violet Group N88A surface upon blended with Violetwith a central bar opening Group 83A with a Violet Group N79 B centralbar of Violet Group 83D. Tepal count 6 6

-   Flower and flower bud:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous. The natural flowering period is            generally from April to September.        -   Flower bud.—Size: Normally 42 mm in length. Bud diameter is            15 mm. Bud form: Long campanulate, broad based. Bud color:            Yellow-Green Group 145B. Texture: Very Pubescent.        -   Pedicel.—Surface Texture: Pubescent. Length: On average 22            mm in length with 2 mm diameter. Color: Yellow-Green Group            145A. Strength: Moderately strong.        -   Receptacle.—Surface Texture: Very pubescent. Shape: Broad            funnel. Size: 2 mm (h)×4 mm (w). Color: Yellow-Green Group            145A.        -   Flower arrangement.—Location on vine: New growth only.            Borne: Singly & in clusters of 3 to 5 flowers.        -   Flower bloom.—Size: On average, flowers are 113 mm in            diameter and 25 mm in depth. Profile: Open flowers are flat            concave. Fragrance: None. Lasting Quality: Flowers normally            remain up to 14 days on the plant.        -   Tepals.—Tepal Color: Upon opening, the upper surface is            Violet Group N87A blended with Violet Group 83A with a            central bar of Violet Group 83D. The lower surface is Violet            Group 86A splashed with w/N155A. There is a central bar on            the lower surface of White Group N155A. After opening, the            upper surface is Violet Group 86A with a central bar of            Violet Group N88A. The lower surface is Violet Group 85B            with marginal intonations of Violet 83A, and a central bar            of Green-White Group 157A central bar. Quantity: Normally 6            tepals. Size: 56 mm in length by 36 mm wide. Shape:            Individual tepal shape is elliptic. The tepal apex is            acuminate. The tepal base is obtuse. Apex Recurvature:            Strongly curved. Tepal Cross section: Cupped. Margins:            Entire with strong undulations. Persistence: Tepals drop off            cleanly.        -   Reproductive organs.—Pollen: Quantity: Heavy. Color:            Greyed-Yellow Group 160D. Anthers: Size: 6 mm in length.            Color: Yellow-Green Group 150B and 150D Quantity: On            average, 35. Filaments: Color: White Group 155A with            intonations of Violet-Blue Group 93B at the base. Length:            6 mm. Pistils: Quantity: On average, 25. Stigmas: Inferior            in location relative to the length of the filaments and the            height of the anthers. Styles: Color: Yellow-Green Group            145B. Length: 13 mm.        -   Seed head characteristics.—Seed not observed to date.-   Plant:    -   -   Plant form.—Mounding.        -   Plant growth.—Very compact.        -   Size.—Seasons growth attains 32 cm in height. Average spread            is 35 cm.        -   Sterns.—Color: Juvenile stems are Yellow-Green Group 144B.            Mature stems are Greyed-Red Group 179A Internodes: 40 to 55            mm between nodes. Length: Normally 11 cm from the base of            the plant to the flowering portion of the stem. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Texture: Mature stems are ribbed. Pubescent        -   Plant foliage.—Leaf characteristics: Deciduous. Arrangement:            Trifoliate Leaf Size: Compound leaves are about 120 mm            (l)×118 mm (w). Leaflets are about 45 mm (l)×31 mm (w).            Abundance: On average leaves per 10 cm of stem. Leaf Color:            Juvenile upper Yellow-Green Group 144A. Juvenile lower            Yellow-Green Group 144A. Mature upper Yellow-Green Group            146B. Mature lower Yellow-Green Group 148C. Stipules:            Absent. Petioles: Size: Normally 50 mm in length by 2 mm            diameter. Texture: Smooth. Color: Yellow-Green Group 144A.            Petioloule: Size: About 11 to 15 mm in length by mm            diameter. Texture: Smooth. Color: Yellow-Green Group and            Red-Purple Group 183B. Leaflet Shape: Elliptic. The base is            rounded, apex acute. Margin: Entire. Surface: The upper side            is smooth, the lower side is smooth. Thickness: Moderate.            Glossiness: Not glossy.        -   Disease resistance.—Subject to any disease that normally            attacks the species. However the variety is more tolerant to            Clematis wilt, Ascochyta clematidina, than some Clematis            known to the inventors.        -   Cold hardiness.—The variety is tolerant to USDA Hardiness            Zone 6.        -   Heat tolerance.—The variety has been found to be suitable            for climate conditions found in the American Horticulture            Society heat zone 7.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Clematis plant named‘Evipo104’, substantially as described and illustrated , due to itsabundant purple flowers with good keepability, attractive long lastingfoliage and compact growth, year round flowering under glasshouseconditions, suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots,durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable fordistribution in the floral industry.